Outdoor Doormats

We find these feet-wipers outside the front door of most houses and always absent-mindedly drag our feet over them prior to entering a house. Outdoor doormats come in a variety of shapes and sizes and although they are primarily for taking the mud or dirt from our footwear as we enter a house, most people pay them little attention. These mats are also made from various materials and it seems that the best material comes from coconut husks. The coconut has coarse “hairs” or coir covering the husks and this coir is ideal for scraping dirt from footwear. Most outdoor doormats are made from water resistant materials that can give years of service; coconut coir is one such material.

 Although outdoor doormats are mainly found at the front or back door of houses, there are other buildings that also have doormats welcoming visitors. In Japan you will find doormats in front of stores – department stores as well as small shops. There are also doormats spread on the ground in front of most major hotels – though mainly for decorative purposes. The average house, in Japan, does not have a doormat per se, there is however a porch where visitors, as well as family, remove their footwear before entering a dwelling. Often visitors will find a small mat with slippers arranged - one removes his or her footwear and puts on the house slippers.

 In western society when a young couple, after years of saving, finally moves into their first home, one of the last items they add to the house is a couple of outdoor doormats. It is as if, placing the doormat in front of the front door is announcing to the neighborhood - “Open for business”. For a few days before this little ritual, movers carry in various types of furniture, from TVs to sofas, beds to kitchen tables all through the front door. Other workmen arrive to hook up the telephone and Internet service and when everything is complete, the couple clean and vacuum, then place mats at the front and back doors.

 If you’re one of these new homeowners and you want to put mats at the back and front doors to your abode, Amazon has a slew of different types of outdoor doormats easily purchased at reasonable prices. The Extra Weave Earth Friendly 18 by 30 inch coir outdoor doormat is ideal for entranceways; the mat is eco-friendly and contains no PVC products. The coarse coir rips dirt and other foreign articles from the bottom of footwear, easily and thoroughly. After a few years, when the mat finally does wear out, owners are able to break it up and add it to their gardens as a natural fertilizer – coconut coir is good for soil. Priced at only $21.00, this mat is a bargain.